Sacrifice
by solemnkinoblossom
Summary: Katara, through fate, has broken off from the Avatar and into something unexpected. Can she rise up to her potential?
1. Chapter 1

Sacrifice

Sokka swore loudly as he glared into the darkening sky. A mounted mass of clouds were building up, rolling on top of each other in colors of dark gray and blue, with a hint of green. The air hung thick, and everyone in the group could feel the humidity causing their clothes to cling to their skin. Sokka absentmindedly itched his elbow with a scowl on his face as he turned to look at his companions.

Katara was the furthest away, and closest to the edge of the cliff. A strong wind began playing with the base pieces of her hair, but she hardly seemed to notice, pushing the strands away from her face thoughtlessly. Biting her lip anxiously, she stood as if posed for battle, gazing out at the sea whose waves were swiftly becoming high and merciless.

Toph sat cross-legged a few feet from Katara, concentration evident on her face with the lines spread across her white forehead. Eyes closed, her hands were pressed into the ground. Concern slowly came to dominate her features as she felt the enormity of the vibrations that were caused by the waves crashing into the side of the cliff.

Only Aang seemed unaffected, spinning a top with a goofy expression on his face. Feeling the first wave of droplets fall from the sky, he looked up into the heavens and grinned.

"Guys, we need to find shelter" Sokka called out, and quickly everyone's face turned towards his.

Toph rolled her eyes while she sat up from the ground and wiped the dirt off of her clothes with the back of her hand. "And where do you suggest we go, Snoozes?" Toph replied sarcastically, crossing her arms in front of her.

"We could always go to the small town we passed. They might have an inn" Aang suggested, pocketing his toy and gliding closer towards where everyone was standing.

"Where would we get the money to pay for a room? We don't even have enough food to feed us tonight" Katara pointed out with grim features. She hadn't left her place by the cliff, and was wringing her hands in slight distress.

"Maybe they would just take us in?" Aang said, smiling optimistically.

"These are Fire Nation people, Aang. I doubt they are going to take in the person prophesized to bring about their nation's demise" Sokka refuted with.

"Well there has to be something" Aang said, looking around him. Outside of the side facing the cliff, the group was surrounded by a sparse deciduous forest. The trees were too small to house anyone, however, barely withstanding the heavy wind, and the land was flat for miles giving no indication of a niche or cave.

"There is a cave on the cliff, but you would have to risk climbing down a few feet of rock" Toph suggested, pointing to the edge of the cliff.

"Well, we are going to have to. Right now I think that is our best bet" Sokka announced with authority, before putting his pack on his back and marching towards the edge of the cliff determinedly. Toph rolled her eyes again, but followed after him, her own pack hanging off of her shoulders.

Aang smiled and trotted after them as if to say, 'See? There is always an answer'. Katara had turned back around and was staring at the seas forlornly. Aang came up to her as he passed and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's just a storm, Katara. Come on."

Katara looked into Aang's face and gave him a short smile. "I guess. I just have a bad feeling about it."

Aang shrugged and said, "You always worry too much. Don't." Smiling at her again, Aang ran off to join Sokka, who stared down the side of the cliff with a look of disbelief.

Ignoring the irritation that clouded her mind from Aang's patronizing tone, Katara glared at the sea. "I am almost 16, and a waterbender" she mumbled to herself, "You'd think he would value my opinion." The storm still worried her as she toke a deep breath and joined the others. Katara could fell the sea flying and falling at heights of astonishing proportion.

When she reached them, she had to resist from laughing. Sokka was attempting to climb down the cliff with his butt in the air, taking very small steps when the edge of the cave could be seen a few feet down. His face was of the utmost concentration, the edge of his tongue hanging out of his mouth from where he was biting it.

Very suddenly his grip slipped and he fell the few feet to the cave's entrance on his back. He whined softly for a second, before jumping on his feet. "You know, the benders of the group could have helped me while I was falling" he called up at the faces that were peering down at him.

"Relax, Snoozes, it was only a few feet" Toph said before jumping down beside him. Crossing her arms over her chest, she stared up to where she guessed his head was and smirked.

Sokka ignored her and went inside the cave to explore while Aang gracefully floated down beside Toph. "Anything in there, Sokka?" he called out. Katara jumped down to Toph's other side.

"Yeah!" Sokka said loudly, turning towards them with an armful of brush and branches. "Firewood" he said proudly. Dropping it all on the ground in front of him, Sokka kneeled and toke a piece of flint from his pocket.

While Sokka was busy attempting to strike up a fire, Katara wandered around the cave. The walls were surprising dry, and slightly cold. The cave wasn't very big, and there was no way Appa would have been able to fit, but there was plenty of room for all of them to lie down and rest.

"Aha!" Sokka cried out, and turning around Katara could see the spreading of a flame. Approaching the warmth, she sat down and leaned on her knees as she stared into the rising flames. Everyone else sat down and crowded around the small fire. Harsh winds and torrents of rain could now be heard from the mouth of the cave.

"Katara, is there seriously no food left?" Sokka asked, holding a grumbling stomach protectively and rubbing it in an assuring manner.

"Not much" she responded, taking off her pack and picking through it. Finding a small brown bag, she threw it at Sokka. "There is just some bread and cheese, and a bit of the exotic fruit we found earlier." Looking inside the bag, Sokka's face turned painful. He put down the bag.

"We need more food" he announced, glaring at the mouth of the cave.

"Don't even think about it, Snoozes. That storm is way too dangerous to head out in, even if we are starving. We just need to wade it out until the morning" Toph said, laying down on her side and closing her eyes lazily.

"First we need money" Katara reasoned, looking at her hands.

"We don't have the time to make money" Sokka argued with his sister, a scowl still on his face.

"Doesn't matter" Katara said, crossing her arms over her chest and looking up at her brother. "Now if you had let me get a job this wouldn't be a problem" she reminded him, scowling.

"This is the Fire Nation. We can't trust them Katara! Or did you forget that they invaded and destroyed our village!" Sokka declared loudly at her, fists clenched out in front of him.

"Not everyone is like that, Sokka! Not everyone can be soldiers!" Katara refuted equally as loud, sitting up and leaning forward.

"Yes they can! Where were the Fire people to help our village when it was in devastation?! They were at home enjoying their spoils!" Sokka shouted, also leaning towards the fire and Katara.

"Not everyone has the strength to rebel! Even if they had, what do you think the likely outcome would have been? They would have been killed for being a traitor! Do you suggest they run away from their homes, friends, and family?! Where would they go? The Fire Nation has people just about everywhere! They are protecting themselves and their families!" Katara yelled, hands clutching the side of her dress.

"They could have done something! Anything, instead of sitting there and letting it all happen!" Sokka refuted loudly.

"Like what, Sokka?!" Katara snarled, rising on her knees.

"They could have done away with the Fire Lord!" Sokka yelled, rising his hands and letting them fall with emphasis.

"Done away with? You mean murder?!" Katara said, still snarling with narrow eyes and a crooked mouth.

"Yes!" Sokka said, on his knees too.

Aang put a hand in between them, just above the flame. "Now I think we just need to cool down" he said in an attempted calm voice. To Katara it just felt patronizing again.

"Stay out of this Aang" she growled, before looking back at her brother, glaring. "You are an idiot Sokka" she announced, seething with frustration. "Can you even grasp the amount of planning that that would take to keep the Fire Nation from knowing, and without the people suffering?" she stated, growling.

"Nothing of real value can be obtained easily! Isn't that what Gran-Gran always used to say?! The people could have tried" Sokka said wistfully, sitting on his knees.

"You still don't understand" Katara said with a frown.

"Yes I do! You are just disillusioned!" Sokka called out defensively.

"Disillusioned?! Sokka, if these people were caught, they wouldn't be the only ones to die! Their friends, their family, their neighbors would be suspected of being connected with the conspiracy! We are talking about a lot of lives!" Katara said, her voice getting louder with Sokka's.

"If things are going to change, lives need to be taken!" Sokka screamed.

"Not all of those people! Some lives, yes, but we should try to save as many lives as possible!" Katara yelled in earnest. Her hands were now braced on the ground.

"They are just Fire Nation people" Sokka stated loudly, but quietly when compared to Katara's yelling.

Silence. Then, softly and dangerously, Katara seethed, "Excuse me?" She stood up gracefully. "What, so Fire Nation people don't mean as much as Water Tribe people?" she asked, her voice still quiet, but poisonous.

"No, not when they are killing everyone!" Sokka said, standing as well.

"I already told you, not everyone are soldiers!" Katara argued loudly.

"That doesn't mean they wouldn't kill to protect their Nation" Sokka stated, narrowing his eyes and crossing his arms.

Katara put her hands on her hips and toke a step forward. "You would kill to protect your people, Sokka. Do you deserve to die too?" she asked.

"Of course not. I am helping the Avatar" Sokka reasoned. Katara just glared at him. Looking around, Sokka appealed for support from his companions. Remember that Toph was blind, he said, "Toph?"

The girl looked up lazily. Blinking, she glanced towards where she heard Sokka's voice. "Sugar Queen is right" she said, before yawning largely. "You are definitely an idiot."

Giving Toph a face, Sokka looked pleadingly at Aang. Aang huffed, before turning towards Katara. "Now Katara" he started to say. Katara turned towards him and glared.

"Don't you, Now Katara, me" Katara said angrily.

"What you are fighting about is ridiculous" Aang said, taking a step towards the enraged female.

"People's lives are ridiculous Aang?" she said, her voice once again quiet and dangerous.

"Of course not, but we don't have to worry about that stuff right now…" he started to say, before he was cut off by Katara.

"You mean you haven't even started to think about how you are going to save the world?!" Katara said loudly, interrupting Aang.

Stubbornly Aang's face turned away from Katara as he said, "I have been very busy."

"You haven't even considered it?" Katara whispered loudly. Regaining her voice, she shouted, "You're the Avatar!"

"I'm just a kid, I don't have to have everything planned out yet!" Aang shouted, slightly trembling.

"The people need you now, Aang! They can't afford to wait a few years! Who knows what will be left?!" Katara yelled.

"Stop yelling at him, Katara! None of this is his fault!" Sokka shouted in the Avatar's defense, before walking to stand behind Aang.

"All those people, Aang" Katara said forlornly, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"I said, stop it!" Sokka screamed, grabbing Aang's shaking shoulders in an assured manner. "What have you done to save 'all those people' Katara? How much can any one person do!" he added angrily.

"Something. Anything!" Katara said. "I have at least thought about it" she added under her breath.

After hearing that, Aang finally got a hold of himself, and brushing Sokka's hands from his shoulders, stepped forward. "You think you can do better?" he snarled.

"I didn't say that" Katara said with an attempted calm. "I just think we need to plan this out before we blindly rush into it!" she said with earnest.

"You always need to plan everything out! You always worry constantly! Maybe it is because you can't afford to rely on yourself!" Aang suggested angrily, the arrows on his forehead and hands starting to glow.

"I just don't like to leave everything up to chance! Not everything works out that wonderfully! We need to create our own consequences, but we have to plot so that we are left with the best possible scenario!" Katara defended herself loudly, only dimly aware of Aang's growing Avatar state.

"You are right. Life isn't perfect. But constant planning won't make it any better!" Aang shouted back. Sokka was now busy restraining him while Toph had a hold of his feet.

"Sugar Queen, would you stop instigating him?!" Toph yelled over the storm, which was growing in volume.

Katara could feel the anger pulsating through her. Why didn't these people understand? They were all going to die unless they thought about what they were going to do before they did it.

"If you think you can do it better, than leave and do it yourself!" Sokka shouted, still grasping the smaller boy's shoulders.

Tears pooled in Katara's eyes as she felt Sokka's dismissal as a slap across the face. They just don't understand, she thought repeatedly. Turning away from the fire she started to walk towards the cave entrance.

Immediately Aang left the Avatar state as he realized Katara was actually going to leave. "Katara!" he shouted over the storm.

Reaching the mouth of the cave, Katara let her tears mix with the rainfall, and braced herself against the rain. Still upset and enraged, Katara turned her head to look at the people in the cave. Smiling through the rain, she said "You are right. I have done nothing. Maybe it is time to start."

Undoing the braid in her hair, she shook her hair loose with her hands. "Aang has already mastered waterbending so I am no longer needed. Wish me luck" she said before she jumped off the cliff.

Sokka and Aang rushed to the cliff, but they couldn't see anything in the waves or through the rain. "Brilliant" Toph announced sarcastically from beside the fire.

All Katara could feel for a few seconds was the rush of air and water smacking into her face and body as she started to descend. Once she had a moment to think, she cursed. What in the world had she been thinking by jumping off the cliff? She could have at least climbed to the top of it. She had no idea what lay at the bottom.

Bracing herself as well as she could in the air, just in case she would need some immediate waterbending, Katara thought back to her argument with Sokka and Aang. Just replaying their words and dismissal, Katara quickly forgot about the rain, water, and the approaching ocean as anger gripped her in harsh tendrils.

She wanted to scream, but the wind had other ideas. She was in no way feather light, but the force of the wind which pushed her towards the cliff was so strong that it didn't matter. One second she was falling, and the next her body had come into contact with solid ground and Katara could feel her entire body wrack with pain.

Blinded for a second from a mixture of tears and hiccups, Katara lay at the base of a cave similar to the one she had just left. With her pained arrival came a feeling of hopelessness that washed over her in a torrent. What had she been thinking? If the Avatar didn't have control of things what could she do?

Immediately she began berating herself. She wasn't the type to whine and give up without a fight. She wouldn't be alive otherwise. Instead she did the only thing that she could- she consumed herself with all of the negative feelings dwelling inside of her- helplessness, hopelessness, vulnerability, resentment, frustration- and turned it into to anger. Replaying once again the arguments of her friends, Katara was absolutely consumed by it.

Forcing herself to stand, and ignoring the pain that coursed through her from doing so, she stared out at the ocean. This cave looked to be at about the middle of the cliff, just high enough that the waves couldn't reach it, as high as they had become. Katara was thankful. She was planning to be dry at some point.

Trembling slightly with emotion, Katara toke a stance she had seen firebenders take. I need to be stable and powerful, she thought to herself, and what better than a firebender for strength and power? Ignoring her tears, she felt the anger pulling at her being like ropes. Mentally grasping those ropes, Katara repeated to herself that she was in control. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Katara released a loud scream that she hadn't had a chance to release earlier. Feeling something snap, Katara raised her arms, her imaginary hands still grasping at the ropes of her anger.

Immediately she felt those ropes becoming strained, but, with a determined set of chin, pulled on them tighter. Raising her arms even higher, the strain grew. She ignored the pain, and let her anger out frustratingly as she felt the strain. Taking another deep breath Katara opened her eyes.

She blinked and almost stumbled backwards with surprise. The sea for miles in front of her had risen hundreds of feet with her arms. With the sudden jerk of surprise, the strain she had felt began to pull harder and she felt herself pulling with all of her might. Her mind numbly frozen over, she had no idea what to do with all of the water. If she released it the splash would be tall enough to flood the cave behind her.

Instead, she once again closed her eyes and rummaged inside her for that anger she had so swiftly put away. Finding it again, and gripping the reins of her powers, she imagined pushing the water, and pressed her raised arms forward away from the cliff and out towards the sea. Opening her eyes she saw the water being pushed away from the cliff like a tidal wave. Breathing with relief, she let down her arms and for the first time felt the cold constant beat of the rain against her being.

About to turn around, a sudden flash of light called to her attention, and slowly Katara watched a streak of lightning heading toward her. Unable to move with shock, she just stood there as it approached.

"Move!" someone screamed behind her, but a part of Katara reached for the light, sensing a feeling of hope and peace. "Argh!" that same voice sounded, before she was shoved to the side. Her head came in contact with the side of the cliff sharply, and feeling her vision begin to fade, Katara looked up with a sense of urgency. Just in time to watch a person in green catch the lightening in his hand, Katara's world became black.

**I do not own Avatar, unfortunately, and everything but the plot and context isn't mine. I could wallow away with grief…**

**Thank you for reading, my ducks. Review if you feel like it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

When she came to, Katara didn't feel like doing anything. She was very comfortable and very warm, and even lifting her eyelids felt like too much effort. Completely relaxed, Katara let thoughts drift in and out of her head.

Sighing deeply, she could dimly hear voices from the other side of the room, but reassured herself that it was probably Sokka and Aang. Smiling, she could just imagine them fighting obnoxiously over something silly. Sighing again, she pulled her furs closer to her to snuggle into.

What she pulled closer, however, wasn't her furs. Feeling a course and worn, although still warm, substance, Katara panicked and shoot upwards. A sharp pain shot through her head, and her hands clutched it tightly, making her wince. Bending slightly and making a soft scream, Katara slowly opened her eyes.

Through the tendrils of hair hanging in front of her face, she saw someone familiar, although entirely unexpected.

"General Iroh?" Katara asked in a rough voice, before wincing again. Eyes widening, she looked around the cave. A large fire could be seen to her left, consuming branches and brush that were common of the area. To her right, more blankets could be seen laid out as if the person had just left from sleeping in them. Against the wall opposite of her were several full bags and a satchel of water. In the corner, Katara recognized someone else.

"Zuko" Katara stated, watching the green clad teenager sitting with his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped under his chin, gazing at her. Still surprised, and slightly shocked, Katara tried to remember how she had gotten there. What had happened?

"Apologies, but you hit your head rather hard on the side of the cliff. We would have tried to do more than just wrap it, but we don't have any medical supplies" Iroh announced gruffly, sitting back with a tea cup in his hand. Watching her look at his tea cup, he smiled widely and said, "Would you like some tea? I just found some ginseng in a nearby market and my nephew was kind enough to buy it for me."

"What" Katara started to say, before cutting herself off with silence. "How" she started to say again, before stopping. Shaking her head slowly, hands still glued to the side of her dripping head, she could think of nothing. She did not know whether it was pressure, or whether she was purposely trying not to mentally, but she had no thoughts. She settled with turning her head towards Iroh and saying softly, "I would love some tea General."

"Oh, please, call me Uncle" Iroh said before, still smiling, he reached behind him into one of the bags that was leaning against the wall. Extracting a tea cup, he filled it to the brim and handed it to Katara.

Katara muttered her thanks and accepted the tea cup. She almost immediately dropped it, however, from the heat of the cup. Gasping slightly, Katara held the cup from the bottom where it was the coolest- the bottom provided the most glass between the hot water and her fingers.

"Uncle" Zuko muttered from the corner, watching Katara slight distress as she attempted to grip her tea. He was about to take a step forward when Iroh held up a finger to him and turned towards Katara.

"I'm sorry, I should have realized that it would be hot" Iroh said, trying to grab the tea cup from Katara's hands.

"It's fine" she mumbled softly, moving her hands out of Iroh's grasp. Looking at the cup with slightly glazed eyes, Katara took a deep breath and gently blew on top of the cup.

As the cup completely froze over, Katara did drop the cup. "Oh" she gasped, before picking the cup up again and examining the icy tea. "I didn't mean to do that" she muttered, before quickly setting it down on the ground in front of Iroh. "I'm sorry, Uncle" she said softly, starring through her hair at Iroh beseechingly.

**"**Ice melts" he said reassuredly, still smiling, before beckoning his nephew over. Zuko glared at his uncle for a few moments before moving forward cautiously. Iroh padded the space next to him with his hand, and Zuko reluctantly sat there, muttering.

"Katara" Katara said quietly.

"Of course" Iroh said, giving Zuko Katara's frozen cup of tea. Zuko blew on it much the same was Katara had, but when he was finished he held in front of him a lukewarm cup of tea. Iroh sent a pointed glance towards Katara while looking at his nephew. Zuko rolled his eyes slightly, before handing the tea to Katara.

Katara accepted it with a quiet, "Thank you Zuko." Drinking the tea slowly, she looked expectantly at the two men in front of her.

"Ah" Iroh seemed to read her glance. "Well you see…" he started to say, before drifting off into silence. "We wanted to know…" he started to say again, before stopping.

Zuko huffed in frustration before looking at Katara. "We wanted to know why the hell you jumped off a cliff. Or was just standing there ready to get hit by lightning. You are a lot of things, but I didn't think suicidal was one of them" he stated briskly, scowling.

"What?" Katara gasped, looking at him in disbelief.

"You mean to don't remember?" Zuko proclaimed loudly, sharing Katara's disbelief. "You feel into our cave!" he said.

Looking around like a trapped animal, Katara put down her tea. "I don't know what you are talking about" she said, clearly frightened, her voice just above that of a whisper.

**"**You" Zuko started to say, before he was cut off by Iroh.

"Zuko, stop scaring the girl" Iroh stated, aware that Katara was starting to shake. He looked at his nephew sadly.

"But Uncle" Zuko said, before he was cut off by a noise coming from the ceiling.

"Toph, when is the storm going to be over?!" an annoyed voice muttered, before a thump was heard against the wall.

"Yeah! The sooner it is finished, the sooner we can find Katara and get some food!" another voice said.

"And what made you think I had control over the weather Twinkle Toes?" a female voice stated sarcastically. Another thump could be distinguished against the wall.

"Argh" said the second voice.

"Lay down already" the female said, "the storm still won't be over for awhile. You won't do us any good if you two are walking around tomorrow like zombies."

"She's right" the first voice said reluctantly.

The second voice appeared to have not been listening. "Where the hell is she…" it muttered, a few feet from the other voices. Suddenly, however, there was a thump, a sigh, and silence.

"Sorry Twinkle Toes, I had to" the female stated.

"It's fine, let's just get some sleep" the first voice mumbled, before all was once again silent.

Katara was hit with recognition and memory like a hammer, and she winced slightly from the protruding pain. In other words, everything came back to her in a flash, and it hurt like hell. "What" she gasped, before taking a deep breath. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at the two firebenders in front of her. "You heard everything?" she asked, her voice still quiet.

"So you remember" Zuko stated, ignoring her question.

"Yes, now answer my question" Katara growled, wincing.

"There appears to be small holes connecting all of the caves. Zuko and I gathered that this entire cliff used to be underwater at some point, and that the salt broke through the rock" Iroh said, sipping his tea calmly.

"Now answer mine" Zuko demanded, crossing his arms.

"Which was?" Katara asked sarcastically.

"Why did you jump" Zuko asked, although the way he asked it was more of a statement than a question.

"I thought you said you heard everything" Katara said through still narrow eyes.

"What, you thought you could help everyone best dead?" Zuko asked, his own eyes narrowed in turn.

"No" Katara stated, before closing her eyes and leaning back. "I don't know why I jumped off the cliff. I was just so angry, I wasn't thinking…"

Zuko raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

"So have you thought about what you are going to do?" Iroh asked curiously, gathering his and Katara's tea cups and setting them safely off to the side.

"I haven't had the time, really, to think about it" Katara stated, opening her eyes and looking at Iroh.

"You could come with us?" Iroh asked, an absurdly cheerful smile once again on his face. "I promise we don't bite" he stated, chuckling to himself.

"Travel with you?" Katara asked, before looking both at him and Zuko. "How do I know I can trust you?" she said, her arms absentmindedly pulling the blankets around her closer to her frame.

"Well, my nephew did save your life" Iroh stated calmly, "But if you need any more reassurance…"

"No, that's fine" Katara said quickly, looking at Zuko. So it was him who caught the lightening, she thought to herself. I didn't he could do that yet.

"Thank you" she said sincerely, holding out one of her hands from the pile of blankets covering her.

"Your welcome" Zuko said gruffly, quickly shaking her hand. Releasing it, he looked at her with a strange expression on his face.

"So where are you going?" Katara asked quietly.

"Ah, that will all be revealed in good time" Iroh said reassuredly, clasping his hands together. "In the mean time, we are going to work!" he announced cheerfully, grinning at both Zuko and Katara.

"What?" Zuko asked, flinching back instinctively.

"Oh, don't be worried, nephew! It will be at another tea shop!" Iroh proclaimed, still grinning.

"Tea shop?" Katara asked, feeling slightly confused as he saw the extreme hesitation and brief look of pain on Zuko's face.

"You will love it" Iroh announced with an assured manner, nodding his head in agreement.

"Where?" Katara asked reluctantly, looking from Zuko to Iroh with reasonable fright.

"The center of the Capitol, of course!" Iroh stated.

Katara just gazed at Iroh enthusiasm to Zuko's shock with disbelief. Her features became grim with despair. What? She thought to herself.

"The Capitol? Are you insane Uncle?" Zuko voiced her thoughts, waving his arms as if to emphasis his point.

"Well, why not? Fire nation people love tea!" he proclaimed ecstatically.

Katara just looked at them with a look of absurdity on her face. Well I guess the craziest ideas are normally the ones that work, she thought to herself a little crazily. But then again, maybe my head wound is clouding my judgement.

"Sure" Katara said resolutely, clutching her hands together and smiling at Iroh.

"What?!" Zuko proclaimed, looking at Katara as if she had lost her mind. Which, he thought to himself, she might have.

"Let's go" Katara said slowly, turning to look at Zuko. She gave him a pointed look.

"Okay" Zuko stated uncertainly, still gazing at Katara strangely.

"Okay" Iroh repeated with enthusiasm, before gathering the tea cups. "Now if you young people will excuse me", he continued, "I have some rest I would like to get before we travel". Putting the tea cups next to the bag, he wrapped himself in the other bundle of blankets Katara saw in the corner.

"Okay" Zuko repeated sarcastically.

**I do not own Avatar, unfortunately, and everything but the plot and context isn't mine. I could wallow away with grief…**

**Thank you for reading, my ducks. Review if you feel like it.**


End file.
